Reversible protein phosphorylation is the ubiquitous strategy used to control many of the intracellular events in eukaryotic cells. It is estimated that more than ten percent of proteins active in a typical mammalian cell are phosphorylated. Kinases catalyze the transfer of high-energy phosphate groups from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to target proteins on the hydroxyamino acid residues serine, threonine, or tyrosine. Phosphatases, in contrast, remove these phosphate groups. Extracellular signals including hormones; neurotransmitters, and growth and differentiation factors can activate kinases, which can occur as cell surface receptors or as the activator of the final effector protein, as well as other locations along the signal transduction pathway. Cascades of kinases occur, as well as kinases sensitive to second messenger molecules. This system allows for the amplification of weak signals (low abundance growth factor molecules, for example), as well as the synthesis of many weak signals into an all-or-nothing response. Phosphatases, then, are essential in determining the extent of phosphorylation in the cell and, together with kinases, regulate key cellular processes such as metabolic enzyme activity, proliferation, cell growth and differentiation, cell adhesion, and cell cycle progression.
Kinases
Kinases comprise the largest known enzyme superfamily and vary widely in their target molecules. Kinases catalyze the transfer of high energy phosphate groups from a phosphate donor to a phosphate acceptor. Nucleotides usually serve as the phosphate donor in these reactions, with most kinases utilizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The phosphate acceptor can be any of a variety of molecules, including nucleosides, nucleotides, lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins. Proteins are phosphorylated on hydroxyamino acids. Addition of a phosphate group alters the local charge on the acceptor molecule, causing internal conformational changes and potentially influencing intermolecular contacts. Reversible protein phosphorylation is the primary method for regulating protein activity in eukaryotic cells. In general, proteins are activated by phosphorylation in response to extracellular signals such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth and differentiation factors. The activated proteins initiate the cell's intracellular response by way of intracellular signaling pathways and second messenger molecules such as cyclic nucleotides, calcium-calmodulin, inositol, and various mitogens, that regulate protein phosphorylation.
Kinases are involved in all aspects of a cell's function, from basic metabolic processes, such as glycolysis, to cell-cycle regulation, differentiation, and communication with the extracellular environment through signal transduction cascades. Inappropriate phosphorylation of proteins in cells has been linked to changes in cell cycle progression and cell differentiation. Changes in the cell cycle have been linked to induction of apoptosis or cancer. Changes in cell differentiation have been linked to diseases and disorders of the reproductive system, immune system, and skeletal muscle.
There are two classes of protein kinases. One class, protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), phosphorylates tyrosine residues, and the other class, protein serine/threonine kinases (STKs), phosphorylates serine and threonine residues. Some PTKs and STKs possess structural characteristics of both families and have dual specificity for both tyrosine and serine/threonine residues. Almost all kinases contain a conserved 250-300 amino acid catalytic domain containing specific residues and sequence motifs characteristic of the kinase family. The protein kinase catalytic domain can be further divided into 11 subdomains. N-terminal subdomains I-IV fold into a two-lobed structure which binds and orients the ATP donor molecule, and subdomain V spans the two lobes. C-terminal subdomains VI-XI bind the protein substrate and transfer the gamma phosphate from ATP to the hydroxyl group of a tyrosine, serine, or threonine residue. Each of the 11 subdomains contains specific catalytic residues or amino acid motifs characteristic of that subdomain. For example, subdomain I contains an 8-amino acid glycine-rich ATP binding consensus motif, subdomain II contains a critical lysine residue required for maximal catalytic activity, and subdomains VI through IX comprise the highly conserved catalytic core. PTKs and STKs also contain distinct sequence motifs in subdomains VI and VIII which may confer hydroxyamino acid specificity.
In addition, kinases may also be classified by additional amino acid sequences, generally between 5 and 100 residues, which either flank or occur within the kinase domain. These additional amino acid sequences regulate kinase activity and determine substrate specificity. (Reviewed in Hardie, G. and S. Hanks (1995) The Protein Kinase Facts Book, Vol I, pp. 17-20 Academic Press, San Diego Calif.). In particular, two protein kinase signature sequences have been identified in the kinase domain, the first containing an active site lysine residue involved in ATP binding, and the second containing an aspartate residue important for catalytic activity. If a protein analyzed includes the two protein kinase signatures, the probability of that protein being a protein kinase is close to 100% (PROSITE: PDOC00100, November 1995).
Protein Tyrosine Kinases
Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) may be classified as either transmembrane, receptor PTKs or nontransmembrane, nonreceptor PTK proteins. Transmembrane tyrosine kinases function as receptors for most growth factors. Growth factors bind to the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), which causes the receptor to phosphorylate itself (autophosphorylation) and specific intracellular second messenger proteins. Growth factors (GF) that associate with receptor PTKs include epidermal GF, platelet-derived GF, fibroblast GF, hepatocyte GF, insulin and insulin-like GFs, nerve GF, vascular endothelial GF, and macrophage colony stimulating factor.
Nontransmembrane, nonreceptor PTKs lack transmembrane regions and, instead, form signaling complexes with the cytosolic domains of plasma membrane receptors. Receptors that function through non-receptor PTKs include those for cytokines and hormones (growth hormone and prolactin), and antigen-specific receptors on T and B lymphocytes.
Many PTKs were first identified as oncogene products in cancer cells in which PTK activation was no longer subject to normal cellular controls. In fact, about one third of the known oncogenes encode PTKs. Furthermore, cellular transformation (oncogenesis) is often accompanied by increased tyrosine phosphorylation activity (Charbonneau, H. and N. K. Tonics (1992) Annu. Rev. Cell Biol. 8:463-493). Regulation of PTK activity may therefore be an important strategy in controlling some types of cancer.
Protein Serine/Threonine Kinases
Protein serine/threonine kinases (STKs) are nontransmembrane proteins. A subclass of STKs are known as ERKs (extracellular signal regulated kinases) or MAPs (mitogen-activated protein kinases) and are activated after cell stimulation by a variety of hormones and growth factors. Cell stimulation induces a signaling cascade leading to phosphorylation of MEK (MAP/ERK kinase) which, in turn, activates ERK via serine and threonine phosphorylation. A varied number of proteins represent the downstream effectors for the active ERK and implicate it in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as regulation of the cytoskeleton. Activation of ERK is normally transient, and cells possess dual specificity phosphatases that are responsible for its down-regulation. Also, numerous studies have shown that elevated ERK activity is associated with some cancers. Other STKs include the second messenger dependent protein kinases such as the cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinases (PKA), calcium-calmodulin (CaM) dependent protein kinases, and the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP); the cyclin-dependent protein kinases; checkpoint and cell cycle kinases; Numb-associated kinase (Nak); human Fused (hFu); proliferation-related kinases; 5′-AMP-activated protein kinases; and kinases involved in apoptosis.
One member of the ERK family of MAP kinases, ERK 7, is a novel 61-kDa protein that has motif similarities to ERK1 and ERK2, but is not activated by extracellular stimuli as are ERK1 and ERK2 nor by the common activators, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 kinase. ERK7 regulates its nuclear localization and inhibition of growth through its C-terminal tail, not through the kinase domain as is typical with other MAP kinases (Abe, M. K. (1999) Mol. Cell. Biol. 19:1301-1312).
The second messenger dependent protein kinases primarily mediate the effects of second messengers such as cyclic AMP (cAMP), cyclic GMP, inositol triphosphate, phosphatidylinositol, 3,4,5-triphosphate, cyclic ADP ribose, arachidonic acid, diacylglycerol and calcium-calmodulin. The PKAs are involved in mediating hormone-induced cellular responses and are activated by cAMP produced within the cell in response to hormone stimulation. cAMP is an intracellular mediator of hormone action in all animal cells that have been studied. Hormone-induced cellular responses include thyroid hormone secretion, cortisol secretion, progesterone secretion, glycogen breakdown, bone resorption, and regulation of heart rate and force of heart muscle contraction. PKA is found in all animal cells and is thought to account for the effects of cAMP in most of these cells. Altered PKA expression is implicated in a variety of disorders and diseases including cancer, thyroid disorders, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease (Isselbacher, K. J. et al. (1994) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, McGraw-Hill, New York N.Y., pp. 416-431, 1887).
The casein kinase I (CKI) gene family is another subfamily of serine/threonine protein kinases. This continuously expanding group of kinases have been implicated in the regulation of numerous cytoplasmic and nuclear processes, including cell metabolism and DNA replication and repair. CKI enzymes are present in the membranes, nucleus, cytoplasm and cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells, and on the mitotic spindles of mammalian cells (Fish, K. J. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270:14875-14883).
The CKI family members all have a short amino-terminal domain of 9-76 amino acids, a highly conserved kinase domain of 284 amino acids, and a variable carboxyl-terminal domain that ranges from 24 to over 200 amino acids in length (Cegielska, A. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:1357-1364). The CKI family is comprised of highly related proteins, as seen by the identification of isoforms of casein kinase I from a variety of sources. There are at least five mammalian isoforms, α, β, γ, δ, and ε. Fish et al. identified CKI-epsilon from a human placenta cDNA library. It is a basic protein of 416 amino acids and is closest to CKI-delta. Through recombinant expression, it was determined to phosphorylate known CKI substrates and was inhibited by the CKI-specific inhibitor CKI-7. The human gene for CKI-epsilon was able to rescue yeast with a slow-growth phenotype caused by deletion of the yeast CKI locus, HRR250 (Fish et al., supra).
The mammalian circadian mutation tau was found to be a semidominant autosomal allele of CKI-epsilon that markedly shortens period length of circadian rhythms in Syrian hamsters. The tau locus is encoded by casein kinase I-epsilon, which is also a homolog of the Drosophila circadian gene double-time. Studies of both the wildtype and tau mutant CKI-epsilon enzyme indicated that the mutant enzyme has a noticeable reduction in the maximum velocity and autophosphorylation state. Further, in vitro, CKI-epsilon is able to interact with mammalian PERIOD proteins, while the mutant enzyme is deficient in its ability to phosphorylate PERIOD. Lowrey et al. have proposed that CKI-epsilon plays a major role in delaying the negative feedback signal within the transcription-translation-based autoregulatory loop that composes the core of the circadian mechanism. Therefore the CKI-epsilon enzyme is an ideal target for pharmaceutical compounds influencing circadian rhythms, jet-lag and sleep, in addition to other physiologic and metabolic processes under circadian regulation (Lowrey, P. L. et al. (2000) Science 288:483-491).
Homeodomain-interacting protein kinases (HIPKs) are serine/threonine kinases and novel members of the DYRK kinase subfamily (Hofmann, T. G. et al. (2000) Biochimie 82:1123-1127). HIPKs contain a conserved protein kinase domain separated from a domain that interacts with homeoproteins. HIPKs are nuclear kinases, and HIPK2 is highly expressed in neuronal tissue (Kim, Y. H. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:25875-25879; Wang, Y. et al. (2001) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1518:168-172). HIPKs act as corepressors for homeodomian transcription factors. This corepressor activity is seen in posttranslational modifications such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation, each of which are important in the regulation of cellular protein function (Kim, Y. H. et al. (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:12350-12355).
The human h-warts protein, a homolog of Drosophila warts tumor suppressor gene, maps to chromosome 6q24-25.1. It has a serine/threonine kinase domain and is localized to centrosomes in interphase cells. It is involved in mitosis and functions as a component of the mitotic apparatus (Nishiyama, Y. et al. (1999) FEBS Lett. 459:159-165).
Calcium-Calmodulin Dependent Protein Kinases
Calcium-calmodulin dependent (CaM) kinases are involved in regulation of smooth muscle contraction, glycogen breakdown (phosphorylase kinase), and neurotransmission (CaM kinase I and CaM kinase II). CaM dependent protein kinases are activated by calmodulin, an intracellular calcium receptor, in response to the concentration of free calcium in the cell. Many CaM kinases are also activated by phosphorylation. Some CaM kinases are also activated by autophosphorylation or by other regulatory kinases. CaM kinase I phosphorylates a variety of substrates including the neurotransmitter-related proteins synapsin I and II, the gene transcription regulator, CREB, and the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator protein, CFTR (Haribabu, B. et al. (1995) EMBO J. 14:3679-3686). CaM kinase II also phosphorylates synapsin at different sites and controls the synthesis of catecholamines in the brain through phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase. CaM kinase II controls the synthesis of catecholamines and seratonin, through phosphorylation/activation of tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase, respectively (Fujisawa, H. (1990) BioEssays 12:27-29). The mRNA encoding a calmodulin-binding protein kinase-like protein was found to be enriched in mammalian forebrain. This protein is associated with vesicles in both axons and dendrites and accumulates largely postnatally. The amino acid sequence of this protein is similar to CaM-dependent STKs, and the protein binds calmodulin in the presence of calcium (Godbout, M. et al. (1994) J. Neurosci. 14:1-13).
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP), which mediate signal transduction from the cell surface to the nucleus via phosphorylation cascades, are another STK family that regulates intracellular signaling pathways. Several subgroups have been identified, and each manifests different substrate specificities and responds to distinct extracellular stimuli (Egan, S. E. and R. A. Weinberg (1993) Nature 365:781-783). There are three kinase modules comprising the MAP kinase cascade: MAPK (MAP), MAPK kinase (MAP2K, MAPKK, or MKK), and MKK kinase (MAP3K, MAPKKK, OR MEKK) (Wang, X. S. et al (1998) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 253:33-37). The extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is activated by growth factors and mitogens, for example, epidermal growth factor (EGF), ultraviolet light, hyperosmolar medium, heat shock, or endotoxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The closely related though distinct parallel pathways, the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), or stress-activated kinase (SAPK) pathway, and the p38 kinase pathway are activated by stress stimuli and proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). Altered MAP kinase expression is implicated in a variety of disease conditions including cancer, inflammation, immune disorders, and disorders affecting growth and development. MAP kinase signaling pathways are present in mammalian cells as well as in yeast.
Cyclin-Dependent Protein Kinases
The cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) are STKs that control the progression of cells through the cell cycle. The entry and exit of a cell from mitosis are regulated by the synthesis and destruction of a family of activating proteins called cyclins. Cyclins are small regulatory proteins that bind to and activate CDKs, which then phosphorylate and activate selected proteins involved in the mitotic process. CDKs are unique in that they require multiple inputs to become activated. In addition to cyclin binding, CDK activation requires the phosphorylation of a specific threonine residue and the dephosphorylation of a specific tyrosine residue on the CDK.
Another family of STKs associated with the cell cycle are the NIMA (never in mitosis)-related kinases (Neks). Both CDKs and Neks are involved in duplication, maturation, and separation of the microtubule organizing center, the centrosome, in animal cells (Fry, A. M. et al. (1998) EMBO J. 17:470-481).
Checkpoint and Cell Cycle Kinases
In the process of cell division, the order and timing of cell cycle transitions are under control of cell cycle checkpoints, which ensure that critical events such as DNA replication and chromosome segregation are carried out with precision. If DNA is damaged, e.g. by radiation, a checkpoint pathway is activated that arrests the cell cycle to provide time for repair. If the damage is extensive, apoptosis is induced. In the absence of such checkpoints, the damaged DNA is inherited by aberrant cells which may cause proliferative disorders such as cancer. Protein kinases play an important role in this process. For example, a specific kinase, checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), has been identified in yeast and mammals, and is activated by DNA damage in yeast. Activation of Chk1 leads to the arrest of the cell at the G2/M transition (Sanchez, Y. et al. (1997) Science 277:1497-1501). Specifically, Chk1 phosphorylates the cell division cycle phosphatase CDC25, inhibiting its normal function which is to dephosphorylate and activate the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc2. Cdc2 activation controls the entry of cells into mitosis (Peng, C.-Y. et al. (1997) Science 277:1501-1505). Thus, activation of Chk1 prevents the damaged cell from entering mitosis. A deficiency in a checkpoint kinase, such as Chk1, may also contribute to cancer by failure to arrest cells with damaged DNA at other checkpoints such as G2/M.
Proliferation-Related Kinases
Proliferation-related kinase is a serum/cytokine inducible STK that is involved in regulation of the cell cycle and cell proliferation in human megakarocytic cells (Li, B. et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:19402-19408). Proliferation-related kinase is related to the polo (derived from Drosophila polo gene) family of STKs implicated in cell division. Proliferation-related kinase is downregulated in lung tumor tissue and may be a proto-oncogene whose deregulated expression in normal tissue leads to oncogenic transformation.
5′-AMP-Activated Protein Kinase
A ligand-activated STK protein kinase is 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (Gao, G. et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:8675-8681). Mammalian AMPK is a regulator of fatty acid and sterol synthesis through phosphorylation of the enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase and hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase and mediates responses of these pathways to cellular stresses such as heat shock and depletion of glucose and ATP. AMPK is a heterotrimeric complex comprised of a catalytic alpha subunit and two non-catalytic beta and gamma subunits that are believed to regulate the activity of the alpha subunit. Subunits of AMPK have a much wider distribution in non-lipogenic tissues such as brain, heart, spleen, and lung than expected. This distribution suggests that its role may extend beyond regulation of lipid metabolism alone.
Kinases in Apoptosis
Apoptosis is a highly regulated signaling pathway leading to cell death that plays a crucial role in tissue development and homeostasis. Deregulation of this process is associated with the pathogenesis of a number of diseases including autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Various STKs play key roles in this process. ZIP kinase is an STK containing a C-terminal leucine zipper domain in addition to its N-terminal protein kinase domain. This C-terminal domain appears to mediate homodimerization and activation of the kinase as well as interactions with transcription factors such as activating transcription factor, ATF4, a member of the cyclic-AMP responsive element binding protein (ATF/CREB) family of transcriptional factors (Sanjo, H. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:29066-29071). DRAK1 and DRAK2 are STKs that share homology with the death-associated protein kinases (DAP kinases), known to function in interferon-γ induced apoptosis (Sanjo et al., supra). Like ZIP kinase, DAP kinases contain a C-terminal protein-protein interaction domain, in the form of ankyrin repeats, in addition to the N-terminal kinase domain. ZIP, DAP, and DRAK kinases induce morphological changes associated with apoptosis when transfected into NIH3T3 cells (Sanjo et al., supra). However, deletion of either the N-terminal kinase catalytic domain or the C-terminal domain of these proteins abolishes apoptosis activity, indicating that in addition to the kinase activity, activity in the C-terminal domain is also necessary for apoptosis, possibly as an interacting domain with a regulator or a specific substrate.
RICK is another STK recently identified as mediating a specific apoptotic pathway involving the death receptor, CD95 (Inohara, N. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:12296-12300). CD95 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily and plays a critical role in the regulation and homeostasis of the immune system (Nagata, S. (1997) Cell 88:355-365). The CD95 receptor signaling pathway involves recruitment of various intracellular molecules to a receptor complex following ligand binding. This process includes recruitment of the cysteine protease caspase-8 which, in turn, activates a caspase cascade leading to cell death. RICK is composed of an N-terminal kinase catalytic domain and a C-terminal “caspase-recruitment” domain that interacts with caspase-like domains, indicating that RICK plays a role in the recruitment of caspase-8. This interpretation is supported by the fact that the expression of RICK in human 293T cells promotes activation of caspase-8 and potentiates the induction of apoptosis by various proteins involved in the CD95 apoptosis pathway (Inohara et al., supra).
Mitochondrial Protein Kinases
A novel class of eukaryotic kinases, related by sequence to prokaryotic histidine protein kinases, are the mitochondrial protein kinases (MPKs) which seem to have no sequence similarity with other eukaryotic protein kinases. These protein kinases are located exclusively in the mitochondrial matrix space and may have evolved from genes originally present in respiration-dependent bacteria which were endocytosed by primitive eukaryotic cells. MPKs are responsible for phosphorylation and inactivation of the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes (Harris, R. A. et al. (1995) Adv. Enzyme Regul. 34:147-162). Five MPKs have been identified. Four members correspond to pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozymes, regulating the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, which is an important regulatory enzyme at the interface between glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. The fifth member corresponds to a branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, important in the regulation of the pathway for the disposal of branched-chain amino acids. (Harris, R. A. et al. (1997) Adv. Enzyme Regul. 37:271-293). Both starvation and the diabetic state are known to result in a great increase in the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase in the liver, heart and muscle of the rat. This increase contributes in both disease states to the phosphorylation and inactivation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and conservation of pyruvate and lactate for gluconeogenesis (Harris (1995) supra).
Kinases with Non-Protein Substrates
Lipid and Inositol Kinases
Lipid kinases phosphorylate hydroxyl residues on lipid head groups. A family of kinases involved in phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) has been described, each member phosphorylating a specific carbon on the inositol ring (Leevers, S. J. et al. (1999) Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol. 11:219-225). The phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol is involved in activation of the protein kinase C signaling pathway. The inositol phospholipids (phosphoinositides) intracellular signaling pathway begins with binding of a signaling molecule to a G-protein linked receptor in the plasma membrane. This leads to the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) residues on the inner side of the plasma membrane by inositol kinases, thus converting PI residues to the biphosphate state (PIP2). PIP2 is then cleaved into inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol. These two products act as mediators for separate signaling pathways. Cellular responses that are mediated by these pathways are glycogen breakdown in the liver in response to vasopressin, smooth muscle contraction in response to acetylcholine, and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation.
PI 3-kinase (PI3K), which phosphorylates the D3 position of PI and its derivatives, has a central role in growth factor signal cascades involved in cell growth, differentiation, and metabolism. PI3K is a heterodimer consisting of an adapter subunit and a catalytic subunit. The adapter subunit acts as a scaffolding protein, interacting with specific tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, lipid moieties, and other cytosolic factors. When the adapter subunit binds tyrosine phosphorylated targets, such as the insulin responsive substrate (IRS)-1, the catalytic subunit is activated and converts PI (4,5) bisphosphate (PIP2) to PI (3,4,5) P3 (PIP3). PIP3 then activates a number of other proteins, including PKA, protein kinase B (PKB), protein kinase C (PKC), glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3, and p70 ribosomal s6 kinase. PI3K also interacts directly with the cytoskeletal organizing proteins, Rac, rho, and cdc42 (Shepherd, P. R. et al (1998) Biochem. J. 333:471-490) Animal models for diabetes, such as obese and fat mice, have altered PI3K adapter subunit levels. Specific mutations in the adapter subunit have also been found in an insulin-resistant Danish population, suggesting a role for PI3K in type-2 diabetes (Shepard, supra).
An example of lipid kinase phosphorylation activity is the phosphorylation of D-erythro-sphingosine to the sphingolipid metabolite, sphingosine-1-phosphate (SPP). SPP has emerged as a novel lipid second-messenger with both extracellular and intracellular actions (Kohama, T. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:23722-23728). Extracellularly, SPP is a ligand for the G-protein coupled receptor EDG-1 (endothelial-derived, G-protein coupled receptor). Intracellularly, SPP regulates cell growth, survival, motility, and cytoskeletal changes. SPP levels are regulated by sphingosine kinases that specifically phosphorylate D-erythro-sphingosine to SPP. The importance of sphingosine kinase in cell signaling is indicated by the fact that various stimuli, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), nerve growth factor, and activation of protein kinase C, increase cellular levels of SPP by activation of sphingosine kinase, and the fact that competitive inhibitors of the enzyme selectively inhibit cell proliferation induced by PDGF (Kohama et al., supra).
Purine Nucleotide Kinases
The purine nucleotide kinases, adenylate kinase (ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, or AdK) and guanylate kinase (ATP:GMP phosphotransferase, or GuK) play a key role in nucleotide metabolism and are crucial to the synthesis and regulation of cellular levels of ATP and GTP, respectively. These two molecules are precursors in DNA and RNA synthesis in growing cells and provide the primary source of biochemical energy in cells (ATP), and signal transduction pathways (GTP). Inhibition of various steps in the synthesis of these two molecules has been the basis of many antiproliferative drugs for cancer and antiviral therapy (Pillwein, K. et al. (1990) Cancer Res. 50:1576-1579).
AdK is found in almost all cell types and is especially abundant in cells having high rates of ATP synthesis and utilization such as skeletal muscle. In these cells AdK is physically associated with mitochondria and myofibrils, the subcellular structures that are involved in energy production and utilization, respectively. Recent studies have demonstrated a major function for AdK in transferring high energy phosphoryls from metabolic processes generating ATP to cellular components consuming ATP (Zeleznikar, R. J. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270:7311-7319). Thus AdK may have a pivotal role in maintaining energy production in cells, particularly those having a high rate of growth or metabolism such as cancer cells, and may provide a target for suppression of its activity in order to treat certain cancers. Alternatively, reduced AdK activity may be a source of various metabolic, muscle-energy disorders that can result in cardiac or respiratory failure and may be treatable by increasing AdK activity.
GuK, in addition to providing a key step in the synthesis of GTP for RNA and DNA synthesis, also fulfills an essential function in signal transduction pathways of cells through the regulation of GDP and GTP. Specifically, GTP binding to membrane associated G proteins mediates the activation of cell receptors, subsequent intracellular activation of adenyl cyclase, and production of the second messenger, cyclic AMP. GDP binding to G proteins inhibits these processes. GDP and GTP levels also control the activity of certain oncogenic proteins such as p21′ known to be involved in control of cell proliferation and oncogenesis (Bos, J. L. (1989) Cancer Res. 49:4682-4689). High ratios of GTP:GDP caused by suppression of GuK cause activation of p21ras and promote oncogenesis. Increasing GuK activity to increase levels of GDP and reduce the GTP:GDP ratio may provide a therapeutic strategy to reverse oncogenesis.
GuK is an important enzyme in the phosphorylation and activation of certain antiviral drugs useful in the treatment of herpes virus infections. These drugs include the guanine homologs acyclovir and buciclovir (Miller, W. H. and R. L. Miller (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255:7204-7207; Stenberg, K. et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:2134-2139). Increasing GuK activity in infected cells may provide a therapeutic strategy for augmenting the effectiveness of these drugs and possibly for reducing the necessary dosages of the drugs.
Pyrimidine Kinases
The pyrimidine kinases are deoxycytidine kinase and thymidine kinase 1 and 2. Deoxycytidine kinase is located in the nucleus, and thymidine kinase 1 and 2 are found in the cytosol (Johansson, M. et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:11941-11945). Phosphorylation of deoxyribonucleosides by pyrimidine kinases provides an alternative pathway for de novo synthesis of DNA precursors. The role of pyrimidine kinases, like purine kinases, in phosphorylation is critical to the activation of several chemotherapeutically important nucleoside analogues (Arner E. S. and S. Eriksson (1995) Pharmacol. Ther. 67:155-186).
Phosphatases
Protein phosphatases are generally characterized as either serine/threonine- or tyrosine-specific based on their preferred phospho-amino acid substrate. However, some phosphatases (DSPs, for dual specificity phosphatases) can act on phosphorylated tyrosine, serine, or threonine residues. The protein serine/threonine phosphatases (PSPs) are important regulators of many cAMP-mediated hormone responses in cells. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) play a significant role in cell cycle and cell signaling processes. Another family of phosphatases is the acid phosphatase or histidine acid phosphatase (HAP) family whose members hydrolyze phosphate esters at acidic pH conditions.
PSPs are found in the cytosol, nucleus, and mitochondria and in association with cytoskeletal and membranous structures in most tissues, especially the brain. Some PSPs require divalent cations, such as Ca2+ or Mn2+, for activity. PSPs play important roles in glycogen metabolism, muscle contraction, protein synthesis, T cell function, neuronal activity, oocyte maturation, and hepatic metabolism (reviewed in Cohen, P. (1989) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 58:453-508). PSPs can be separated into two classes. The PPP class includes PP1, PP2A, PP2B/calcineurin, PP4, PP5, PP6, and PP7. Members of this class are composed of a homologous catalytic subunit bearing a very highly conserved signature sequence, coupled with one or more regulatory subunits (PROSITE PDOC00115). Further interactions with scaffold and anchoring molecules determine the intracellular localization of PSPs and substrate specificity. The PPM class consists of several closely related isoforms of PP2C and is evolutionarily unrelated to the PPP class.
PP1 dephosphorylates many of the proteins phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and is an important regulator of many cAMP-mediated hormone responses in cells. A number of isoforms have been identified, with the alpha and beta forms being produced by alternative splicing of the same gene. Both ubiquitous and tissue-specific targeting proteins for PP1 have been identified. In the brain, inhibition of PP1 activity by the dopamine and adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein of 32kDa (DARPP-32) is necessary for normal dopamine response in neostriatal neurons (reviewed in Price, N. E. and M. C. Mumby (1999) Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 9:336-342). PP1, along with PP2A, has been shown to limit motility in microvascular endothelial cells, suggesting a role for PSPs in the inhibition of angiogenesis (Gabel, S. et al. (1999) Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 121:463-468).
PP2A is the main serine/threonine phosphatase. The core PP2A enzyme consists of a single 36 kDa catalytic subunit (C) associated with a 65 kDa scaffold subunit (A), whose role is to recruit additional regulatory subunits (B). Three gene families encoding B subunits are known (PR55, PR61, and PR72), each of which contain multiple isoforms, and additional families may exist (Millward, T. A et al. (1999) Trends Biosci. 24:186-191). These “B-type” subunits are cell type- and tissue-specific and determine the substrate specificity, enzymatic activity, and subcellular localization of the holoenzyme. The PR55 family is highly conserved and bears a conserved motif (PROSITE PDOC00785). PR55 increases PP2A activity toward mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and MAPK kinase (MEK). PP2A dephosphorylates the MAPK active site, inhibiting the cell's entry into mitosis. Several proteins can compete with PR55 for PP2A core enzyme binding, including the CKII kinase catalytic subunit, polyomavirus middle and small T antigens, and SV40 small t antigen. Viruses may use this mechanism to commandeer PP2A and stimulate progression of the cell through the cell cycle (Pallas, D. C. et al. (1992) J. Virol. 66:886-893). Altered MAP kinase expression is also implicated in a variety of disease conditions including cancer, inflammation, immune disorders, and disorders affecting growth and development. PP2A, in fact, can dephosphorylate and modulate the activities of more than 30 protein kinases in vitro, and other evidence suggests that the same is true in vivo for such kinases as PKB, PKC, the calmodulin-dependent kinases, ERK family MAP kinases, cyclin-dependent kinases, and the IκB kinases (reviewed in Millward et al., supra). PP2A is itself a substrate for CKI and CKII kinases, and can be stimulated by polycationic macromolecules. A PP2A-like phosphatase is necessary to maintain the G1 phase destruction of mammalian cyclins A and B (Bastians, H. et al. (1999) Mol. Biol. Cell 10:3927-3941). PP2A is a major activity in the brain and is implicated in regulating neurofilament stability and normal neural function, particularly the phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Hyperphosphorylation of tau has been proposed to lead to the neuronal degeneration seen in Alzheimer's disease (reviewed in Price and Mumby, supra).
PP2B, or calcineurin, is a Ca2+-activated dimeric phosphatase and is particularly abundant in the brain. It consists of catalytic and regulatory subunits, and is activated by the binding of the calcium/calmodulin complex. Calcineurin is the target of the immunosuppressant drugs cyclosporine and FK506. Along with other cellular factors, these drugs interact with calcineurin and inhibit phosphatase activity. In T cells, this blocks the calcium dependent activation of the NF-AT family of transcription factors, leading to immunosuppression. This family is widely distributed, and it is likely that calcineurin regulates gene expression in other tissues as well. In neurons, calcineurin modulates functions which range from the inhibition of neurotransmitter release to desensitization of postsynaptic NMDA-receptor coupled calcium channels to long term memory (reviewed in Price and Mumby, supra).
Other members of the PPP class have recently been identified (Cohen, P. T. (1997) Trends Biochem. Sci. 22:245-251). One of them, PP5, contains regulatory domains with tetratricopeptide repeats. It can be activated by polyunsaturated fatty acids and anionic phospholipids in vitro and appears to be involved in a number of signaling pathways, including those controlled by atrial natriuretic peptide or steroid hormones (reviewed in Andreeva, A. V. and M. A. Kutuzov (1999) Cell Signal. 11:555-562).
PP2C is a ˜42 kDa monomer with broad substrate specificity and is dependent on divalent cations (mainly Me or Me) for its activity. PP2C proteins share a conserved N-terminal region with an invariant DGH motif, which contains an aspartate residue involved in cation binding (PROSITE PDOC00792). Targeting proteins and mechanisms regulating PP2C activity have not been identified. PP2C has been shown to inhibit the stress-responsive p38 and Jun kinase (JNK) pathways (Takekawa, M. et al. (1998) EMBO J. 17:4744-4752).
In contrast to PSPs, tyrosine-specific phosphatases (PTPs) are generally monomeric proteins of very diverse size (from 20 kDa to greater than 100 kDa) and structure that function primarily in the transduction of signals across the plasma membrane. PTPs are categorized as either soluble phosphatases or transmembrane receptor proteins that contain a phosphatase domain. All PTPs share a conserved catalytic domain of about 300 amino acids which contains the active site. The active site consensus sequence includes a cysteine residue which executes a nucleophilic attack on the phosphate moiety during catalysis (Neel, B. G. and N. K. Tonics (1997) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 9:193-204). Receptor PTPs are made up of an N-terminal extracellular domain of variable length, a transmembrane region, and a cytoplasmic region that generally contains two copies of the catalytic domain. Although only the first copy seems to have enzymatic activity, the second copy apparently affects the substrate specificity of the first. The extracellular domains of some receptor PTPs contain fibronectin-like repeats, immunoglobulin-like domains, MAM domains (an extracellular motif likely to have an adhesive function), or carbonic anhydrase-like domains (PROSITE PDOC 00323). This wide variety of structural motifs accounts for the diversity in size and specificity of PTPs.
PTPs play important roles in biological processes such as cell adhesion, lymphocyte activation, and cell proliferation. PTPs μ and κ are involved in cell-cell contacts, perhaps regulating cadherin/catenin function. A number of PTPs affect cell spreading, focal adhesions, and cell motility, most of them via the integrin/tyrosine kinase signaling pathway (reviewed in Neel and Tonics, supra). CD45 phosphatases regulate signal transduction and lymphocyte activation (Ledbetter, J. A. et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:8628-8632). Soluble PTPs containing Src-homology-2 domains have been identified (SHPs), suggesting that these molecules might interact with receptor tyrosine kinases. SHP-1 regulates cytokine receptor signaling by controlling the Janus family PTKs in hematopoietic cells, as well as signaling by the T-cell receptor and c-Kit (reviewed in Neel and Tonics, supra). M-phase inducer phosphatase plays a key role in the induction of mitosis by dephosphorylating and activating the PTK CDC2, leading to cell division (Sadhu, K. et al. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:5139-5143). In addition, the genes encoding at least eight PTPs have been mapped to chromosomal regions that are translocated or rearranged in various neoplastic conditions, including lymphoma, small cell lung carcinoma, leukemia, adenocarcinoma, and neuroblastoma (reviewed in Charbonneau, H. and N. K. Tonks (1992) Annu. Rev. Cell Biol. 8:463-493). The PTP enzyme active site comprises the consensus sequence of the MTM1 gene family. The MTM1 gene is responsible for X-linked recessive myotubular myopathy, a congenital muscle disorder that has been linked to Xq28 (Kioschis, P. et al., (1998) Genomics 54:256-266). Many PTKs are encoded by oncogenes, and it is well known that oncogenesis is often accompanied by increased tyrosine phosphorylation activity. It is therefore possible that PTPs may serve to prevent or reverse cell transformation and the growth of various cancers by controlling the levels of tyrosine phosphorylation in cells. This is supported by studies showing that overexpression of PTP can suppress transformation in cells and that specific inhibition of PTP can enhance cell transformation (Charbonneau and Tonics, supra).
Apyrases are enzymes that efficiently hydrolyze ATP and ADP and may function either intra- or extracellularly. One type of apyrase, ATP-diphosphohydrolase, catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphoanhydride bonds of nucleoside tri- and di-phosphates in the presence of divalent cations (Nourizad, N. et al., (2003) Protein Purif. 27:229-237).
Dual specificity phosphatases (DSPs) are structurally more similar to the PTPs than the PSPs. DSPs bear an extended PTP active site motif with an additional 7 amino acid residues. DSPs are primarily associated with cell proliferation and include the cell cycle regulators cdc25A, B, and C. The phosphatases DUSP1 and DUSP2 inactivate the MAPK family members ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase), JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase), and p38 on both tyrosine and threonine residues (PROSITE PDOC 00323, supra). In the activated state, these kinases have been implicated in neuronal differentiation, proliferation, oncogenic transformation, platelet aggregation, and apoptosis. Thus, DSPs are necessary for proper regulation of these processes (Muda, M. et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:27205-27208). The tumor suppressor PTEN is a DSP that also shows lipid phosphatase activity. It seems to negatively regulate interactions with the extracellular matrix and maintains sensitivity to apoptosis. PTEN has been implicated in the prevention of angiogenesis (Giri, D. and M. Ittmann (1999) Hum. Pathol. 30:419-424) and abnormalities in its expression are associated with numerous cancers (reviewed in Tamura, M. et al. (1999) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 91:1820-1828).
Histidine acid phosphatase (HAP; EXPASY EC 3.1.3.2), also known as acid phosphatase, hydrolyzes a wide spectrum of substrates including alkyl, aryl, and acyl orthophosphate monoesters and phosphorylated proteins at low pH. HAPs share two regions of conserved sequences, each centered around a histidine residue which is involved in catalytic activity. Members of the HAP family include lysosomal acid phosphatase (LAP) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), both sensitive to inhibition by L-tartrate (PROSITE PDOC00538).
Synaptojanin, a polyphosphoinositide phosphatase, dephosphorylates phosphoinositides at positions 3, 4 and 5 of the inositol ring. Synaptojanin is a major presynaptic protein found at clathrin-coated endocytic intermediates in nerve terminals, and binds the clathrin coat-associated protein, EPS15. This binding is mediated by the C-terminal region of synaptojanin-170, which has 3 Asp-Pro-Phe amino acid repeats. Further, this 3 residue repeat had been found to be the binding site for the EH domains of EPS15 (Haffner, C. et al. (1997) FEBS Lett. 419:175-180). Additionally, synaptojanin may potentially regulate interactions of endocytic proteins with the plasma membrane, and be involved in synaptic vesicle recycling (Brodin, L. et al. (2000) Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 10:312-320). Studies in mice with a targeted disruption in the synaptojanin 1 gene (Synj1) were shown to support coat formation of endocytic vesicles more effectively than was seen in wild-type mice, suggesting that Synj1 can act as a negative regulator of membrane-coat protein interactions. These findings provide genetic evidence for a crucial role of phosphoinositide metabolism in synaptic vesicle recycling (Cremona, O. et al. (1999) Cell 99:179-188).
Expression Profiling
Microarrays are analytical tools used in bioanalysis. A microarray has a plurality of molecules spatially distributed over, and stably associated with, the surface of a solid support. Microarrays of polypeptides, polynucleotides, and/or antibodies have been developed and find use in a variety of applications, such as gene sequencing, monitoring gene expression, gene mapping, bacterial identification, drug discovery, and combinatorial chemistry.
One area in particular in which microarrays find use is in gene expression analysis. Array technology can provide a simple way to explore the expression of a single polymorphic gene or the expression profile of a large number of related or unrelated genes. When the expression of a single gene is examined, arrays are employed to detect the expression of a specific gene or its variants. When an expression profile is examined, arrays provide a platform for identifying genes that are tissue specific, are affected by a substance being tested in a toxicology assay, are part of a signaling cascade, carry out housekeeping functions, or are specifically related to a particular genetic predisposition, condition, disease, or disorder.
Neurological Disorders
Characterization of region-specific gene expression in the human brain provides a context and background for molecular neurobiology on a variety of neurological disorders.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodestructive process of the human neocortex, characterized by the deterioration of memory and higher cognitive function. A progressive and irreversible brain disorder, AD is characterized by three major pathogenic episodes involving (a) an aberrant processing and deposition of beta-amyloid precursor protein (betaAPP) to form neurotoxic beta-amyloid (betaA) peptides and an aggregated insoluble polymer of betaA that forms the senile plaque, (b) the establishment of intraneuronal neuritic tau pathology yielding widespread deposits of agyrophilic neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and (c) the initiation and proliferation of a brain-specific inflammatory response. These three seemingly disperse attributes of AD etiopathogenesis are linked by the fact that proinflammatory microglia, reactive astrocytes and their associated cytokines and chemokines are associated with the biology of the microtubule associated protein tau, betaA speciation and aggregation. Missense mutations in the presenilin genes PS1 and PS2, implicated in early onset familial AD, cause abnormal betaAPP processing with resultant overproduction of betaA42 and related neurotoxic peptides. Specific betaA fragments such as betaA42 can further potentiate proinflammatory mechanisms. Expression of the inducible oxidoreductase cyclooxygenase-2 and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) is strongly activated during cerebral ischemia and trauma, epilepsy and AD, indicating the induction of proinflammatory gene pathways as a response to brain injury. Neurotoxic metals such as aluminum and zinc, both implicated in AD etiopathogenesis, and arachidonic acid, a major metabolite of brain cPLA2 activity, each polymerize hyperphosphorylated tau to form NFT-like bundles. Studies have identified a reduced risk for AD in patients aged over 70 years who were previously treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for non-CNS afflictions that include arthritis. (For a review of the interrelationships between the mechanisms of PS1, PS2 and betaAPP gene expression, tau and betaA deposition and the induction, regulation and proliferation in AD of the neuroinflammatory response, see Lukiw, W. J, and Bazan, N. G. (2000) Neurochem. Res. 2000 25:1173-1184).
Breast Cancer
More than 180,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, and the mortality rate for breast cancer approaches 10% of all deaths in females between the ages of 45-54 (Gish, K. (1999) AWIS Magazine 28:7-10). However, the survival rate based on early diagnosis of localized breast cancer is extremely high (97%), compared with the advanced stage of the disease in which the tumor has spread beyond the breast (22%). Current procedures for clinical breast examination are lacking in sensitivity and specificity, and efforts are underway to develop comprehensive gene expression profiles for breast cancer that may be used in conjunction with conventional screening methods to improve diagnosis and prognosis of this disease (Perou, C. M. et al. (2000) Nature 406:747-752).
Mutations in two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, are known to greatly predispose a woman to breast cancer and may be passed on from parents to children (Gish, supra). However, this type of hereditary breast cancer accounts for only about 5% to 9% of breast cancers, while the vast majority of breast cancer is due to non-inherited mutations that occur in breast epithelial cells.
The relationship between expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor, EGFR, to human mammary carcinoma has been particularly well studied. (See Khazaie, K. et al. (1993) Cancer and Metastasis Rev. 12:255-274, and references cited therein for a review of this area.) Overexpression of EGFR, particularly coupled with down-regulation of the estrogen receptor, is a marker of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. In addition, EGFR expression in breast tumor metastases is frequently elevated relative to the primary tumor, suggesting that EGFR is involved in tumor progression and metastasis. This is supported by accumulating evidence that EGF has effects on cell functions related to metastatic potential, such as cell motility, chemotaxis, secretion and differentiation. Changes in expression of other members of the erbB receptor family, of which EGFR is one, have also been implicated in breast cancer. The abundance of erbB receptors, such as HER-2/neu, HER-3, and HER-4, and their ligands in breast cancer points to their functional importance in the pathogenesis of the disease, and may therefore provide targets for therapy of the disease (Bacus, S. S. et al. (1994) Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 102:S13-S24). Other known markers of breast cancer include a human secreted frizzled protein mRNA that is downregulated in breast tumors; the matrix G1a protein which is overexpressed in human breast carcinoma cells; Drg1 or RTP, a gene whose expression is diminished in colon, breast, and prostate tumors; maspin, a tumor suppressor gene downregulated in invasive breast carcinomas; and CaN19, a member of the S100 protein family, all of which are down-regulated in mammary carcinoma cells relative to normal mammary epithelial cells (Zhou, Z. et al. (1998) Int. J. Cancer 78:95-99; Chen, L. et al. (1990) Oncogene 5:1391-1395; Ulrix, W. et a (1999) FEBS Lett 455:23-26; Sager, R. et al. (1996) Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 213:51-64; and Lee, S. W. et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:2504-2508).
Cell lines derived from human mammary epithelial cells at various stages of breast cancer provide a useful model to study the process of malignant transformation and tumor progression as it has been shown that these cell lines retain many of the properties of their parental tumors for lengthy culture periods (Wistuba, I. I. et al. (1998) Clin. Cancer Res. 4:2931-2938). Such a model is particularly useful for comparing phenotypic and molecular characteristics of human mammary epithelial cells at various stages of malignant transformation.
Colon Cancer
While soft tissue sarcomas are relatively rare, more than 50% of new patients diagnosed with the disease will die from it. The molecular pathways leading to the development of sarcomas are relatively unknown, due to the rarity of the disease and variation in pathology. Colon cancer evolves through a multi-step process whereby pre-malignant colonocytes undergo a relatively defined sequence of events leading to tumor formation. Several factors participate in the process of tumor progression and malignant transformation including genetic factors, mutations, and selection.
To understand the nature of gene alterations in colorectal cancer, a number of studies have focused on the inherited syndromes. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is caused by mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene (APC), resulting in truncated or inactive forms of the protein. This tumor suppressor gene has been mapped to chromosome 5q. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is caused by mutations in mis-match repair genes. Although hereditary colon cancer syndromes occur in a small percentage of the population and most colorectal cancers are considered sporadic, knowledge from studies of the hereditary syndromes can be generally applied. For instance, somatic mutations in APC occur in at least 80% of sporadic colon tumors. APC mutations are thought to be the initiating event in the disease. Other mutations occur subsequently. Approximately 50% of colorectal cancers contain activating mutations in ras, while 85% contain inactivating mutations in p53. Changes in all of these genes lead to gene expression changes in colon cancer.
Lung Cancer
The potential application of gene expression profiling is particularly relevant to improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer, such as lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, affecting more than 100,000 men and 50,000 women each year. Nearly 90% of the patients diagnosed with lung cancer are cigarette smokers. Tobacco smoke contains thousands of noxious substances that induce carcinogen metabolizing enzymes and covalent DNA adduct formation in the exposed bronchial epithelium. In nearly 80% of patients diagnosed with lung cancer, metastasis has already occurred. Most commonly lung cancers metastasize to pleura, brain, bone, pericardium, and liver. The decision to treat with surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy is made on the basis of tumor histology, response to growth factors or hormones, and sensitivity to inhibitors or drugs. With current treatments, most patients die within one year of diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis and a systematic approach to identification, staging, and treatment of lung cancer could positively affect patient outcome.
Lung cancers progress through a series of morphologically distinct stages from hyperplasia to invasive carcinoma. Malignant lung cancers are divided into two groups comprising four histopathological classes. The Non Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) group includes squamous cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, and large cell carcinomas and accounts for about 70% of all lung cancer cases. Adenocarcinomas typically arise in the peripheral airways and often form mucin secreting glands. Squamous cell carcinomas typically arise in proximal airways. The histogenesis of squamous cell carcinomas may be related to chronic inflammation and injury to the bronchial epithelium, leading to squamous metaplasia. The Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (SCLC) group accounts for about 20% of lung cancer cases. SCLCs typically arise in proximal airways and exhibit a number of paraneoplastic syndromes including inappropriate production of adrenocorticotropin and anti-diuretic hormone.
Lung cancer cells accumulate numerous genetic lesions, many of which are associated with cytologically visible chromosomal aberrations. The high frequency of chromosomal deletions associated with lung cancer may reflect the role of multiple tumor suppressor loci in the etiology of this disease. Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 3 is found in over 90% of cases and represents one of the earliest genetic lesions leading to lung cancer. Deletions at chromosome arms 9p and 17p are also common. Other frequently observed genetic lesions include overexpression of telomerase, activation of oncogenes such as K-ras and c-myc, and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes such as RB, p53 and CDKN2.
Genes differentially regulated in lung cancer have been identified by a variety of methods. Using mRNA differential display technology, Manda et al. (1999; Genomics 51:5-14) identified five genes differentially expressed in lung cancer cell lines compared to normal bronchial epithelial cells. Among the known genes, pulmonary surfactant apoprotein A and alpha 2 macroglobulin were down regulated whereas nm23H1 was upregulated. Petersen et al. (2000; Int J. Cancer, 86:512-517) used suppression subtractive hybridization to identify 552 clones differentially expressed in lung tumor derived cell lines, 205 of which represented known genes. Among the known genes, thrombospondin-1, fibronectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and cytokeratins 6 and 18 were previously observed to be differentially expressed in lung cancers. Wang et al. (2000; Oncogene 19:1519-1528) used a combination of microarray analysis and subtractive hybridization to identify 17 genes differentially overexpressed in squamous cell carcinoma compared with normal lung epithelium. Among the known genes they identified were keratin isoform 6, KOC, SPRC, IGFb2, connexin 26, plakofillin 1 and cytokeratin 13.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from a gynecologic cancer. The majority of ovarian cancers are derived from epithelial cells, and 70% of patients with epithelial ovarian cancers present with late-stage disease. As a result, the long-term survival rate for this disease is very low. Identification of early-stage markers for ovarian cancer would significantly increase the survival rate. Genetic variations involved in ovarian cancer development include mutation of p53 and microsatellite instability. Gene expression patterns likely vary when normal ovary is compared to ovarian tumors.
Prostate Cancer
As with most tumors, prostate cancer develops through a multistage progression ultimately resulting in an aggressive tumor phenotype. The initial step in tumor progression involves the hyperproliferation of normal luminal and/or basal epithelial cells. Androgen responsive cells become hyperplastic and evolve into early-stage tumors. Although early-stage tumors are often androgen sensitive and respond to androgen ablation, a population of androgen independent cells evolve from the hyperplastic population. These cells represent a more advanced form of prostate tumor that may become invasive and potentially become metastatic to the bone, brain, or lung. A variety of genes may be differentially expressed during tumor progression. For example, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) is frequently observed on chromosome 8p in prostate cancer. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed a deletion for at least 1 locus on 8p in 29 (69%) tumors, with a significantly higher frequency of the deletion on 8p21.2-p21.1 in advanced prostate cancer than in localized prostate cancer, implying that deletions on 8p22-p21.3 play an important role in tumor differentiation, while 8p21.2-p21.1 deletion plays a role in progression of prostate cancer (Oba, K. et al. (2001) Cancer Genet. Cytogenet. 124: 20-26).
PZ-HPV-7 was derived from epithelial cells cultured from normal tissue from the peripheral zone of the prostate. The cells were transformed by transfection with HPV18. Immunocytochemical analysis showed expression of keratins 5 and 8 and also the early region 6 (E6) oncoprotein of HPV. The cells are negative for prostate specific antigen (PSA).
Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional protein that plays important roles in host defense, acute phase reactions, immune responses, and hematopoiesis. According to the type of biological responses being studied, IL-6 was previously named interferon-b2, 26-kDa protein, B cell stimulatory factor-2 (BSF-2), hybridoma/plasmacytoma growth factor, hepatocyte stimulating factor, cytotoxic T cell differentiation factor, and macrophage-granulocyte inducing factor 2A (MGI-2A). The IL-6 designation was adopted after these variously named proteins were found to be identical on the basis of their amino acid and/or nucleotide sequences. IL-6 is expressed by a variety of normal and transformed cells including T cells, B cells, monocytes/macrophages, fibroblasts, hepatocytes, keratinocytes, astrocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and various tumor cells. The production of IL-6 is upregulated by numerous signals including mitogenic or antigenic stimulation, LPS, calcium ionophore, IL-1, IL-2, IFN, TNF, PDGF, and viruses. IL-4 and IL-13 inhibit IL-6 expression in monocytes.
Obesity
The most important function of adipose tissue is its ability to store and release fat during periods of feeding and fasting. White adipose tissue is the major energy reserve in periods of excess energy use. Its primary purpose is mobilization during energy deprivation. Understanding how various molecules regulate adiposity and energy balance in physiological and pathophysiological situations may lead to the development of novel therapeutics for human obesity. Adipose tissue is also one of the important target tissues for insulin. Adipogenesis and insulin resistance in type II diabetes are linked and present intriguing relations. Most patients with type II diabetes are obese and obesity in turn causes insulin resistance.
The majority of research in adipocyte biology to date has been done using transformed mouse preadipocyte cell lines. The culture condition which stimulates mouse preadipocyte differentiation is different from that for inducing human primary preadipocyte differentiation. In addition, primary cells are diploid and may therefore reflect the in vivo context better than aneuploid cell lines. Understanding the gene expression profile during adipogenesis in humans will lead to an understanding of the fundamental mechanism of adiposity regulation. Furthermore, through comparing the gene expression profiles of adipogenesis between donors with normal weight and donors with obesity, identification of crucial genes, potential drug targets for obesity and type II diabetes, will be possible.
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) act as agonists for the peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. TZDs reduce hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension, in part by promoting glucose metabolism and inhibiting gluconeogenesis. Roles for PPARγ and its agonists have been demonstrated in a wide range of pathological conditions including diabetes, obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and cancers such as breast, prostate, liposarcoma, and colon cancer.
The mechanism by which TZDs and other PPARγ agonists enhance insulin sensitivity is not fully understood, but may involve the ability of PPARγ to promote adipogenesis. When ectopically expressed in cultured preadipocytes, PPARγ is a potent inducer of adipocyte differentiation. TZDs, in combination with insulin and other factors, can also enhance differentiation of human preadipocytes in culture (Adams et al. (1997) J. Clin. Invest. 100:3149-3153). The relative potency of different TZDs in promoting adipogenesis in vitro is proportional to both their insulin sensitizing effects in vivo, and their ability to bind and activate PPARγ in vitro. Interestingly, adipocytes derived from omental adipose depots are refractory to the effects of TZDs. It has therefore been suggested that the insulin sensitizing effects of TZDs may result from their ability to promote adipogenesis in subcutaneous adipose depots (Adams et al., supra). Further, dominant negative mutations in the PPARγ gene have been identified in two non-obese subjects with severe insulin resistance, hypertension, and overt non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) (Barroso et al. (1998) Nature 402:880-883).
NIDDM is the most common form of diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disease that affects 143 million people worldwide. NIDDM is characterized by abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism that results from a combination of peripheral insulin resistance and defective insulin secretion. NIDDM has a complex, progressive etiology and a high degree of heritability. Numerous complications of diabetes including heart disease, stroke, renal failure, retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy contribute to the high rate of morbidity and mortality.
At the molecular level, PPARγ functions as a ligand activated transcription factor. In the presence of ligand, PPARγ forms a heterodimer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) which then activates transcription of target genes containing one or more copies of a PPARγ response element (PPRE). Many genes important in lipid storage and metabolism contain PPREs and have been identified as PPARγ targets, including PEPCK, aP2, LPL, ACS, and FAT-P (Auwerx, J. (1999) Diabetologia 42:1033-1049). Multiple ligands for PPARγ have been identified. These include a variety of fatty acid metabolites; synthetic drugs belonging to the TZD class, such as Pioglitazone and Rosiglitazone (BRL49653); and certain non-glitazone tyrosine analogs such as GI262570 and GW1929. The prostaglandin derivative 15-dPGJ2 is a potent endogenous ligand for PPARγ.
Expression of PPARγ is very high in adipose but barely detectable in skeletal muscle, the primary site for insulin stimulated glucose disposal in the body. PPARγ is also moderately expressed in large intestine, kidney, liver, vascular smooth muscle, hematopoietic cells, and macrophages. The high expression of PPARγ in adipose tissue suggests that the insulin sensitizing effects of TZDs may result from alterations in the expression of one or more PPARγ regulated genes in adipose tissue. Identification of PPARγ target genes will contribute to better drug design and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for diabetes, obesity, and other conditions.
Systematic attempts to identify PPARγ target genes have been made in several rodent models of obesity and diabetes (Suzuki et al. (2000) Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 84:113-123; Way et al. (2001) Endocrinology 142:1269-1277). However, a serious drawback of the rodent gene expression studies is that significant differences exist between human and rodent models of adipogenesis, diabetes, and obesity (Taylor (1999) Cell 97:9-12; Gregoire et al. (1998) Physiol. Reviews 78:783-809). Therefore, an unbiased approach to identifying TZD regulated genes in primary cultures of human tissues is necessary to fully elucidate the molecular basis for diseases associated with PPARγ activity.
There is a need in the art for new compositions, including nucleic acids and proteins, for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, immune system disorders, neurological disorders, disorders affecting growth and development, lipid disorders, cell proliferative disorders, and cancers.